Multiple variations of electric toothbrushes are known that include a handle portion and a head portion detachably mounted to each other such that the head portion supporting a bristle carrier having a plurality of bristles may be disposed after extensive use thereof The handle portion provides the majority of mechanical parts and all electric parts of the toothbrush such that the production and cost of the head portion can be kept to a minimum. In order to enable an automatically driven pivoting motion of the bristle carrier and thus the bristles the handle portion includes an electric motor whose rotational motion is converted into an oscillating pivoting via an appropriate drive. This oscillating pivoting motion is provided to a drive shaft which reaches through the housing of the handle portion in order to detachably engage an axle supported by the head portion and thereby enabling a transfer of the pivoting motion of the drive shaft to a head portion axle. The head portion axle in turn is coupled via a head portion drive to the bristle carrier which is rotatably supported by the housing of the head portion and is pivotable around an axis of rotation, which is distinct from the axis of rotation of the head portion axle.
DE 35 44 256 A1 describes an electric toothbrush, wherein the handle portion includes a first and a second drive shaft, each of them being directly coupled to an electric motor. The head portion disclosed includes a first set of bristles mounted to the housing of the head portion and a second set of bristles mounted to the head portion axle. As the head portion axle is coupled to the first drive shaft and the housing of the head portion is coupled to the second drive shaft, the first set of bristles and the second set of bristles do both experience a pivoting motion relatively to each other around an axis of rotation being parallel to the first and second drive shafts of the handle portion. In particular the two sets of bristles do experience a pivoting motion in opposite directions relative to the handle portion. The handle portion according to DE 35 44 256 A1 includes a first drive section being located between the electric motor and the first drive shaft and a second drive section being located between the electric motor and the second drive shaft. Each of the two drive shafts is directly coupled to the electric motor.
In view of the above mentioned there is a desire to provide an electric toothbrush, wherein the bristle carrier provides an oscillating pivoting motion around two distinct axis of rotation being different from each other. It is a further desire to supply a handle portion of an electric toothbrush providing a pivoting of a first and a second drive axis at reduced mechanical effort and reduced cost.